Trapped
by Lystelle
Summary: Elena and Damon have been trapped in a cave by Katherine; with no knowledge of the outside world, the two of them have to figure out how to get out and what they're going to do to Katherine when they finally do.
1. Trapped

This story takes place some time after "The Return" season 2 opener. I loved reformed Damon and wanted to play with him some more. Please let me know what you think.

* * *

Damon Salvatore always knew Katherine Pierce would be his undoing. A hundred and forty-five years of wasted effort and love.

The vervain slid through his body like a serpent of death. The plant itself wouldn't kill him, but the stake protruding from his chest and the wooden bullets that entered his body in rapid succession were going to put a damper on getting what he needed.

Blood.

Not to mention, Katherine threw him in a cave and sealed the door.

Death would actually be a welcomed peace.

He spent the better part of his life being miserable. He loved a woman who never loved him back and he hated a brother who did nothing but love him…with a few discretions, but who didn't? And for Katherine he killed and hurt too many faces to count…or remember.

Death wasn't a fair punishment, but at least he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone anymore.

Hurt Elena anymore.

The one person who gave him a chance, several chances, when he didn't deserve it, didn't deserve her.

Pain crowded his thoughts; he started to cough up blood.

And for awhile darkness seeped into him and the world fell away.

* * *

Elena woke up on the cool, hard ground blanketed in darkness.

She did remember Katherine in her bedroom, and before Elena could scream for help Katherine hit her.

Elena sat up; her head throbbed. It was so dark, she couldn't see her hand in front o fher face.

Fear sank in through every pore of her body.

Katherine was the vain of her existence. The damn vampire had managed to poison everything in her life.

She'd tried to kill her father, her biological father. Elena didn't think she could ever call John Gilbert her father, but it was the principal of the matter.

Katherine had sent her mother, Isobel, to invade her life.

The bitch of a vampire destroyed lives long before Elena's too.

And poor Caroline. Stefan and Damon were helping her deal with being a vampire, but Caroline's mother, the Sheriff and member of the vampire-hating council, hated vampires almost as much as John Gilbert. Sheriff Liz Forbes didn't have a problem with killing vampires, and now her daughter was one.

Stefan and Damon were Katherine's creations too. She spent a long time manipulating, compelling, and damaging the brothers.

Stefan managed to come out of her whirlwind disaster angry and ready for a better life.

Damon wasn't so lucky.


	2. Not So Alone

The heartbeat called to him. It throbbed in his ears.

Damon licked his lips.

When he tried to move, he grunted and cringed in pain.

"Is someone there?"

Damon knew the female voice instantly and cursed silently. Of course, Katherine would leave him one last torture.

He didn't respond.

He waited quietly as her heartbeat grew stronger and closer. She was scared; he could practically taste her.

"Hello?" she said weakly.

Elena heart was racing.

And then he heard what sounded like Elena falling. There was a thud, rocks slid on the stone surface and it sounded like she might've knocked the wind out of herself.

He could hear her heart, but she wasn't moving. Her breath was shallow.

Did she hurt herself?

He couldn't…wouldn't listen to her die.

Eventually he couldn't take it any longer.

"Elena?"

* * *

She lay there after falling, not feeling particularly like moving. She'd banged her knee, and took a boulder in the gut.

Elena swore she heard something or someone.

"Elena?"

The deep voice startled her.

"Who's there?" She lifted herself off the ground.

"Your knight in shining armor," the voice said, sarcasm oozing through the darkness.

"Damon, what are you doing here?" Elena, on her hands and knees, started to move toward him.

"Vacationing," he muttered.

Elena wondered why she was the one in the dark moving around, when he was the vampire. "Are you hurt?"


	3. Hurt

Damon wanted to laugh. Was he hurt? There were so many tempting ways to answer that question.

"Are _you_ okay?" he asked, trying to keep his voice casual and playful as always.

"My head hurts, but I'm fine," she replied. "Where are we?" Her voice was moving closer.

"Cave. She sealed the entrance too."

"Why are _you_ here?" Elena asked.

He tried to keep himself from having another coughing attack.

Damon felt a surge of warmth when her hand found his; she squeezed it gently.

"That's not what you should be concerned with, Elena."

"What do you mean?" she asked moving closer.

Her warmth enveloped him.

"She injected me with vervain and shot me up with wood pretty good. You need to get out of here."

"What?" Elena felt a stab of anger. She felt along his arm until her fingers found the damp splotches on his shirt.

Blood.

She knew it with certainty.

"Damon," she whispered.

"Don't pretend to be worried about me," he said nonchalantly. "Just figure out how to get out here."

"How? I can't see. And if Katherine sealed us in here, it's probably human proof."

"Possibly even vampire proof," Damon said cheerfully. "Don't worry; I'm sure Stefan will come to your rescue."

Impatiently, Elena said, "Damon." Her fingers were still working over his damaged torso. He tried not to squirm under her touch. "I need your help."

"Vervain and wood, Elena. Even if you could manage to get the wood out and the vervain left my system. I'll still need blood. You should use the stake in my chest and just finish me off."

Elena sat very still absorbing what he said. She moved her hand along his shoulder and moved down. Her hand found the hunk of wood protruding from his chest.

"Oh god!" she breathed. She wrapped her hand around the base of the stake and yanked it out.

Damon cried out. He coughed and sputtered; his hands clutched at the grooved ground beneath him.

Elena set the stake in front of the wall they were sitting next to.

"Oh, that hurt," he said, sounding almost amused.

"Why didn't she just kill you, Damon?"

"Because she knows how I feel about you. Katherine and I are the same. The people we love, love someone else. She put us in here knowing I would need blood and you're my only source and no matter what I lose." Damon paused for dramatic effect. "And she hopes I'll kill you."

Elena sat back on her heels for a moment. She put Damon's hand on hers. "Show me where else you're hurt," she said.

"Elena, just stop," he said pleadingly.

He felt her pause; Damon felt his teeth against his tongue. He fought the urge to grab her and suck her dry. Well, the vampire inside of him did; Damon never wanted to hurt her again.

Elena sighed. "Damon, I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing. We both know that you're our best bet to get out of here."

_Of course, she doesn't want to save you for any other reason than self preservation, Damon, don't be stupid_, he thought to himself.

He reached for her hand, delighting in the warmth he found there. He led her to the first wooden bullet hold in his chest. He explained to her what she would need to do. Damon imagined her face scrunching up in disgust as her finger worked through the flesh and blood to get the bullets out.

Damon tried to ignore the reality that if he was going to save her, he would need blood.

And he wouldn't take hers.

Six wooden bullets later, Damon felt a little better. The vervain effects were waning but it would be awhile still.

Elena sat next to his hips facing him. "Are you comfortable?" she asked.

"It's like the Ritz," he said, coughing a little.

"You need blood," Elena stated.

Damon turned his head toward the wall.

"Too bad the blood bank a la cave is closed," he said finally.

"Damon, we both know what has to happen."

"Yeah, you need to stake me because eventually I'm not going to be able to control myself."


	4. Why Me

Thank you everyone for the reviews! I hope you enjoy the next installment.

* * *

Elena sat there glaring at him for a long time. Even in the darkness she was sure he could feel it.

"Are you going to save us or not?" she snapped.

"I will try once the vervain is out of my system, but I am not going to drink your blood."

Elena huffed, "Now is when you choose to be noble."

"You want me to be good, until it is convenient for me to be bad," Damon growled. "Sorry, Elena, I'm not a switch you can flip for your own enjoyment."

Damon couldn't stand the silence anymore. They'd been stuck in the cave for hours. He was sick of it. He was sick of being trapped: First by Katherine, then by his brother, and being a vampire…and then again by Katherine…and again, and again, and again.

"There's something you need to know before, you know, I die," said Damon glibly. His tone turned serious as he started to talk. "I'm sorry. I know it doesn't…I know that you can never forgive me for killing Jeremy, but I am sorry."

Elena flinched at the memory. The crunch of her brother's neck echoed inside of her.

"It wasn't _just_ my rejection that night, Damon, what happened?"

"Katherine…she never loved me. To quote the most popular phrase of that evening, 'It was always Stefan.'" He hadn't meant to lace his retort with so much poison. Katherine's rejection definitely hadn't been cookies and ice cream, but it was Elena that sent him over the edge, not Katherine. That wasn't something that she ever needed to know.

Elena grew quiet again.

"Everyone was so ready for me to explode when Katherine came back to Mystic Falls. So why was everyone so surprised when I actually did?"

He had a point.

But…

"You killed my brother."

"But he's fine," Damon replied. "Thanks to Uncle John's spiffy-witch-spelled ring."

"Damon."

"I know. I'm an ass. So stake me already, Elena."

"Did you know?" she asked.

He sighed. "Know what?"

"That Jeremy was wearing the ring?"

"It doesn't matter, Elena. I shouldn't have done it."

"No, you shouldn't have. Answer the question."

"No!" Damon snapped.

"Fine, then drink up and get us out of here. I don't know how much longer I can take being stuck in this cave with you!" Elena put her wrist in front of Damon's mouth. She felt him flinch away.

"Elena, I am not going to drink your blood. So either stake me or get away from me."

"Then we're both going to die in here."

"Already dead, remember?" Damon said. "Plus, I'm sure Stefan will save you. He's the one who's into that knight in shining armor crap."

Elena pondered Katherine's ability to manipulate and deceive. Would she make Stefan think that she ran off with Damon? Would Stefan give into her?

Elena considered Damon's refusal to answer her question about the ring. He could've lied to her and just said, yes, he knew about the ring. His silence meant one of two things: He didn't want to lie to her or admit he'd done it out of complete cruelty. Or it meant that he saw the ring and wouldn't admit it because…

"Why me, Damon? Why did you kiss me that night?"

"I was trying to prove…"

Elena shook her head. "No, no, no, the night you thought Katherine was me."

Damon fell silent.

He didn't want to relive that night. Feelings for Elena blindsided him and that night on her front porch, they were overwhelming.

Damon believed everything he said that night and everything he said the night he snapped Jeremy's neck.

"Damon?"

"What does it matter to you?" he snarled. "It's Stefan, remember?"

Elena was quiet again.

Time passed without any real way to track it. It seemed like they had been in there forever.

Damon pulled himself up until he was slumped against the lumpy wall. He didn't want to sit here and play confession.

Silence stilled both of them for a long time until Elena's stomach growled.

"I guess it's not just my hunger we have to worry about," he said, smiling.

"Right, so you should drink my blood so we can get out of here and grab a burger."

He rolled his eyes.

"Damon," she said sternly.

"Elena," he mocked.

"You're going to let me die in here?"

That was just low.

Damon needed blood. He couldn't heal anymore, even with the vervain out of his system.

"Damon?" Her voice was quiet.

"I think it's time for me to leave Mystic Falls," he said suddenly. "So, I'm going to do this last thing and I'm going to leave."

He didn't want to hurt Elena or Stefan anymore, and he certainly didn't want to watch them live happily ever after either.

Elena hadn't spoken.

"Give me your wrist; let's get this over with."

Silence.

"Elena?"

"You were right," she blurted out suddenly.

Damon froze. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again.

"About what?" he asked finally.

"You know what."

"I need you to say it."

Elena sighed.

"I don't know what it is, but there is something happening between me and you. I care about you, but it's more than that." She took a steadying breath. "I am in love with Stefan and I choose to be with Stefan. But you were right."

Damon waited quietly while she continued.

"I was lying to Stefan and to you and to myself. You were right." By the time she was done, her voice was barely above a whisper. "And I'm sorry I didn't kiss you back, because it was probably my only chance."


	5. A Way Out

Elena felt sick to her stomach: Telling the truth only made her feel worse and she felt like she was betraying Stefan.

"All because I said I was going to leave?" Damon asked; he sounded amused, but she could also feel the tension in his voice.

"No, because I should've been truthful that night, and maybe…maybe things would be different."

Damon sighed. "I guess one confession is equal to another. You asked, why you. It was because you looked like Katherine," he paused. "And then it was because you saved me when you had absolutely no reason to. Then I found…I…you were nothing like Katherine. I wanted to protect everyone on Founder's Day…even Anna and that stupid town. That's why you. That's why I kissed you that night…er…faux you."

Elena started to move toward his voice. She found his leg and followed it up.

"Let's get out here." Her hand slowly went over his chest and gently up to his jaw. "Just promise me, we get rid of Katherine before you leave."

"That's if you don't beg me to stay."

She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Just drink up and get us out of here."

Damon's mouth was cool to the touch on her wrist. Probably all the blood loss and the being dead thing.

"Did you mean what you said?" he whispered. Even in the silence of the cave she barely heard his words.

"What would I possibly gain from lying?"

"A way out."

"Get us out of here, and I promise I will show you that I wasn't lying," she breathed.

She held her wrist in front of his mouth and waited. Damon's hand tentatively touched hers, and then his fangs sank into her flesh. Elena cringed; she gritted her teeth through the pain.

Letting Damon drink her blood was different than when Stefan had drank her blood or even Anna's mom in the tomb. He was as gentle as he could be; his mouth worked on her wrist getting what he needed from her. Though she could sense that it was important to him, what she was doing for him.

Elena ran that night Damon killed Jeremy in her head over and over again. If only she'd just kissed him back. Regret was a tricky thing. She wasn't sure she could ever forgive him for hurting Jeremy like that, for hurting her like that.

Eventually, he drew back and released her arm.

"Did you get enough?" she asked.

Damon chuckled. "It'll have to do. You aren't going to be any good to me. When we get out of here, juice and cookies will be in order. Don't stand for awhile."

He moved from his seat.

Damon's voice came from across cave near the entrance. "Why don't you slip vervain in your food?"

Elena considered it many times, but she could never bring herself to do it.

"In case Stefan needs blood," he said, answering his own question.

"Or any other vampire I care about," she clarified. "Case and point," she muttered.

Suddenly, there was light flooding the cave. Elena closed her eyes. She listened as the sound of crunching rock and the scraping of stone on stone filled the cave.

Damon let out a cry and darkness blanketed the cave once again.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked.

"That bitch stole my ring," he muttered.

Elena sighed. "Then we wait."

Damon's voice remained on the far side of the cave. "I'm going to push the rock, and you're going to slip out. I'll catch up after dark."

"Damon, I'm not leaving you."

"Elena, I took enough blood to get me up and running and I'm not taking anymore. We've been in here a long time. You need food and water and I need blood. A lot more blood. I wasn't kidding about losing control."

"Which one of us do you think is more stubborn?"

Damon chuckled. "Definitely me. I can force you out of this cave."

"Without me dragging you into the sun?" she said defiantly.

"Elena," he said hesitantly. "I can't sit in this cave with you. It's another seven hours at least until the sun sets. And your heartbeat is really loud."

"We can do this."

"Elena."

She gasped: His voice came from right in front of her.

"Please," he pleaded.

"Let's wait it out. If it gets worse, then I'll leave."

"Why do you insist on trying my patience?" he growled.

Elena pushed Damon back a step. "Your patience could use some practice."


	6. Truth or Dare

"You wanna play Truth or Dare?" Damon teased.

The truth was he was sick to death of sitting and doing nothing. He'd never been good at being in one place for too long. They'd been sitting in silence for a long time. He sat across from Elena, keeping his distance from her and her blood.

"I Never? Or Monopoly? At this point I would settle for listening to you drone on about how dreamy you think Stefan is. I just can't sit here and listen to your heart."

"Why won't you answer the question about Jeremy and the ring?" she asked.

He sighed. "Truth or Dare it is. Elena, Truth or Dare."

"I'm not playing…"

He interrupted, "Truth. Excellent. Is it true that you really wished you kissed me back?"

"Damon," Elena said, discomfort ringing in her voice.

"Dare then? I dare you to leave this cave." His tone was serious.

"What do you think she's doing?" Elena asked.

"Katherine? I imagine that she's screwing everything up. Which really is unfair, because that's my job as the town screw up."

"She must've been something back in 1864, because I really don't understand what it is that you guys saw in her."

"You mean aside from the fact that she was completely gorgeous?"

Elena rolled her eyes. She hadn't really ever said out loud how much she despised looking like Katherine. The vampire was her ancestor, and she despised the woman. "It had to be more than a pretty face."

"It's not just her face that is…"

"Damon!" Elena snapped.

"Touchy, touchy." Damon's voice was playful, but she could hear the tension laced through his words.

She had no doubt that the hunger was getting to him, but what was she supposed to do out in the world without him? What if Katherine was still nearby? Of course, Elena wasn't even sure where they were? She didn't recall any caves near Mystic Falls, but she didn't know the land as well as the vampires. A hundred plus years does give you the needed time to memorize the terrain.

"I'm through with this," Elena said.

"With what exactly?"

"I'm done with Katherine ruining my life and the lives of those I love. We're going to get out of here, and I'm going to find her and kill her."

"All by your little lonesome."

"It's not like anyone else is getting it done. You and Stefan…you can't see straight where she's concerned. She's been manipulating Caroline and playing with Matt. She's even messed with Jeremy. Not to mention the head games she been dealing with you and Stefan. I'm done. Of all the vampires that have been killed, no one has deserved it more than Katherine. She's had her time; now it's my time."

"You're probably going to need a little help," Damon said.

"Only if you're really going to help me. I don't need you in my way drooling all over Katherine and her gorgeous face."

"Jealous?" He was always so quick with the snappy retort.

Elena would admit her tone was a little more biting than she intended, but Katherine got under her skin. She had ever since Damon brought her up to drive a wedge between her and Stefan.

"What does it matter if I am?"

"It doesn't, but it's nice to know that you're not as put together as you seem. It's nice to know that you succumb to the seven sins every now and again like the rest of us mere mortals."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh relax, I was only teasing."

"I don't think you were." Elena stood. Her legs were sore from sitting, but she wasn't keen on moving blindly around the cave much either. They were sitting near the entrance of the cave, waiting for sunset.

"My blood sugar is a little low. I'm cranky," he grumbled.

"How much longer do you suppose?"

"Three hours or so."

"How do you know?"

"A hundred fifty years, eventually you catch on to when the sun is going to rise and set."

Elena found it hard to really to comprehend that they were around in 1864 in Mystic Falls when the town was founded. With Katherine back, history seemed to be repeating itself.

* * *

"Truth or Dare, Elena?" Damon said after some time.

She sighed. "Truth."

"Have you ever thought about becoming a vampire?" he asked.

Elena hesitated. Her mother, Isobel, accused her of lying when she said she'd never considered becoming a vampire. She was in love with a vampire, of course it was a lie, but that didn't mean that she liked to think about it. It was such a complicated answer. Living forever didn't sound like a bad thing, but the thought of watching her family and friends die, not being able to have her own family, and the whole having to drink blood for eternity didn't sound like a lot of fun.

"The easy answer is, of course I've thought about becoming a vampire."

"The complicated answer?" Damon asked.

"It seems like a lot to give up, and the drawbacks are pretty extensive," she replied.

"What like the super powers and living forever?"

"It's more than that."

"So you're going to grow old with Stefan and die and leave him alone?"

When he said it like that it felt almost cruel not to become a vampire. "It's death, Damon."

"Oh believe me, I know. Been there. Done that."

"Truth or Dare, Damon," Elena said.

"That's easy, dare."

Elena sighed. "I dare you to be a better brother."

"Ugh, that's a terrible dare. This is supposed to be a game, Elena. Dare me to run naked through the cave or to French kiss you for sixty seconds. Now that's a dare." She could almost picture him waggling his eyebrows.

"I can't sit here and do nothing anymore." She was feeling like a cornered animal and wanted to be free. Things were confusing enough without being stuck in a cave with Damon confessing secrets she hadn't planned on ever saying out loud…especially not while she was still Stefan's girlfriend.

"Elena, relax." She jerked away; his voice was in her ear.

"How am I supposed to relax? Katherine locked us in this cage! She's out there with my face doing god only knows what to the people I care about!"

Damon took her by the shoulders. "Elena!"

"What?" she snarled.

His voice was only a whisper. "The sun has set."


	7. Game Plan

Thank you so much for all the reviews! :) Keeps a girl writing.

* * *

They were thankfully still in Virginia; Mystical Falls was still a good distance away and Elena and Damon both needed something to eat. They tried hitch hiking once they found a highway.

"People just are not trusting anymore," Damon muttered, as the hundredth car passed them.

Elena chuckled. "There's a town a couple miles up; we'll get what we need there."

Since they emerged from the cave neither one of them had spoken much. They hadn't really met each other's gaze either. Things felt awkward and there was tension. Being out in the real world where she could see his intense blue eyes boring into her soul.

They found a typical small town diner that was mostly empty with a couple of regulars. Elena quickly ducked into the bathroom to assess the damage. The mirror held an appalling image of dirt and blood smeared all over her hands and clothes. Her hair was tangled and her face was smudged with cave muck and a little bit of blood. She washed her hands and face and grabbed a bunch of paper towels to clean herself up as best she could. She briefly wondered if Damon was doing the same thing or if he was off compelling dinner for himself.

Once she was as freshened up as she could manage she headed back into the dining area. Damon was near the back in one of the booths where the rest of the diner wouldn't be able to get a good look at their condition. She slid into the wooden booth facing Damon.

"I ordered you a cheeseburger," he said.

Their gazes finally met; Elena couldn't take the intensity of his eyes and looked away. "Thank you," she said. "Did you…manage to get something to eat?"

"I'm getting a burger too," he said casually.

Elena gave him a look. "I should call someone. I need to know what's been going on in Mystic Falls. We should get someone to pick us up."

"You mean Stefan," Damon replied.

"Who would you call?"

He raised a brow. "Ghostbusters?"

Elena sighed. "I'm going to find a pay phone and try Stefan." She slid out of the booth and just as she was about to head toward the back by the restrooms.

Damon grabbed her hand. "Elena, don't."

She looked at their joined hands and turned her gaze to his. "What's wrong?"

"I tried the house and Katherine answered." Damon pulled his hand away and Elena found the warmth he left behind practically burned. "And his cell phone went straight to voicemail."

Elena sat back down. "That doesn't bode well. I can call Bonnie."

"So the witch can light me on fire again, no thank you."

"Then who, Damon? Caroline? Matt? Tyler? Jenna? Is there anyone that doesn't hate your guts?"

Damon looked away and stared out the window. "Call the witch."

* * *

Elena felt a stab of guilt as she headed to the payphone outside. It was practically habit to be harsh with Damon. There was a time when she trusted him. The flash of Jeremy crumbling to the ground after Damon snapped his neck. It was hard to trust someone that took rejection in a way "bad" doesn't quite prepare you for.

"Hello?" Bonnie's voice filled the receiver.

"Bonnie, it's Elena."

"Oh my god, Elena. I've been so worried. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Is everyone okay in Mystic Falls?"

"Oh, Elena. Jenna's in the hospital. They're calling it an animal attack. Stefan is missing in action and so is Caroline. Jeremy is okay; he's been worried about you too."

"Is it Katherine?"

"She's been going around town acting like you," Bonnie replied.

"Bonnie, I want to take her down. I'm not going to allow her to ruin my life anymore. I'm with Damon…"

"Damon?" Bonnie sneered. "I figured he was the one helping Katherine."

"She threw us in a cave. I'm not sure what she wanted to happen, but we're out and we need a lift."

"Can't Damon find his own way home?"

Elena sighed. "Bonnie, please just call a truce with him. We need him. I-I need him."

Bonnie was silent for a moment. "Okay. I'm on my way."

Elena told her where they were and then she went back into the diner.

* * *

She slid into the booth. "What's our game plan?" Elena asked.

"Game plan?" Damon turned his attention back to her.

"Will you help me kill Katherine?"

Damon raised his brows and smiled. "Why I do declare, Ms. Gilbert…" he said with a strong Southern accent. "If I say yes, does this mean we're going steady?"

"Damon."

"Elena," he returned with a mocking voice. He sighed when she just stared at him with this look of expectation. He hated that look; it always made him do something noble. "Yes, I will help you kill Katherine. I think we're going to need backup. Do you think you could get Caroline on our side?"

Elena shrugged. "I'm not sure. Katherine manipulated her for a couple of months; she didn't know which way was up. Not to mention that she's not so keen on you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a terrible vampire. Well, I'd hate to break it to ya, Elena, but you had your chance to stake me in the cave. I don't think I'll be making it that easy again. Assuming that Katherine hasn't turned Stefan into her love slave, we'll have him for backup I'm sure."

Elena glared at him.

"Easy, tiger, I'm kidding. I'm sure she's just got him tied up in the basement or something."

The waitress brought them a couple of sodas and their burgers.

Damon stole the pickles from her plate. "What is your grand plan anyway?"

"Find her and kill her."

Damon looked at her. "This is Katherine we're talking about. If it was as easy as just putting a stake in her heart, someone would've done it already. Do not underestimate her. You need a plan; we need a plan."

* * *

Damon's thoughts kept drifting back to the confessions in the cave. She admitted to feeling something for him. It took everything inside of him not to kiss her or bite her. She chose Stefan, and he didn't want to betray his brother either. He would kill Katherine and celebrate by putting Mystic Falls in the rearview mirror.

Elena came and sat by him on the rock by the side of the road.

"Bonnie should be here soon," she said.

Damon muttered, "Wonderful." He tried not to look at her.

"You're awfully quiet," Elena said.

He gave her a faint smile. "I think we've talked enough," he replied.

They waited the rest of the time in silence for the Bennett witch to pick them up.

Bonnie arrived in record time. She jumped out of the car and ran to Elena. "I'm so glad you're okay." Bonnie squeezed Elena.

"What's been going on in Mystic Falls?" Damon asked.

"Katherine has been running around destroying everything. She's pretending to be Elena."

Damon looked at her. "Stefan?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I haven't seen him. I honestly haven't wanted to be anywhere near that psycho-Elena-wannabe."

"How am I going to explain this one away?" Elena said.

"I'll compel everyone," Damon said nonchalantly. "Now, can we please get back so I can kill that bitch?"

Bonnie looked at Damon. "I'm in."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Let's just go."

Once they were in the car, Elena kept drifting in and out of sleep, exhaustion taking over. Damon slumped down in the back seat catching Bonnie's gaze in the rearview mirror.

"I know you're disappointed that I didn't fade away into the night, but I think that we could use your help to take Katherine down." Damon kept his voice low.

"My powers don't affect her, remember?"

"You're a powerful witch; I'm sure we can figure something out," Damon replied. He sat up and glanced over at Elena. She was sleeping soundly in the passenger side. He leaned close into Bonnie. She leaned away from him. "I think I know how we can take Katherine down."

Bonnie sighed. "How's that?"

"I will get her into a pre-arranged place and you can light the place on fire. You're good at that." He smiled humorlessly at the memory of the fire crawling up his legs. Not one of his favorite beatings he'd taken over the last year.

"How are you going to trap her here?" Bonnie asked.

"I'll stay with her. She won't suspect a thing."

"You'll stay with her?" Bonnie asked. "If the place is on fire won't you…"

"Burn to the ground?" Damon shifted back and slumped back down. "That's the plan."

"And Elena?"

"She'll be safe. The whole town will be safe. Aside from the Lockwoods running around howling at the moon. And the poor forest animals that Stefan feeds on. Other than that…" Damon glanced at the back of Elena's head. "It stays between us," he said.

"Why would you do this?" Bonnie asked.

He turned his gaze to the window and watched the moonlit scenery pass by. "Sorry, witch, I've done enough confessing for a lifetime."


	8. Back in Mystic Falls

Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry for the delay in posting. I hope you enjoy. Obviously after the latest episode of Vampire Diaries, my story has entered the AU territory. :) Thanks again!

* * *

Matt's head jerked toward the door when someone knocked. The empty house was quiet most of the time without his sister and mother wreaking havoc. He missed Caroline filling the place with her sunshine personality; even in all her insecurities and neurosis, he missed her. With a small glimmer of hope, he headed to the front of the house. He pulled open the door.

"Elena?"

"Hey, Matt." She hovered just outside the frame of the doorway. She was dressed in tight black clothing that he'd seen her wear on and off. Her usually straight hair was bold curls that framed her beautiful face.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

Elena smiled; it seemed almost malicious.

"Everything is great. I've missed you; I've been meaning to come see you since you and Caroline broke up. Are you okay?"

Matt's brow furrowed a little. "I'm fine," he said.

Elena leaned forward a little. Her eyes flickered to the doorway. "Are you really? Sounds like Caroline broke your heart, Matty," she purred.

"Elena, what are you doing?"

She leaned against the doorjamb. "Can't a friend be worried about her friend? Can't a friend tell her friend that she made a mistake?" She sounded like she was pouting.

"Made a mistake?"

"I let you go, Matt. I shouldn't have done that."

"What happened to Stefan?" Matt asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't need him. I want you."

"Elena, what…"

She interrupted, "Let me in, Matt, we can talk."

Matt stepped aside. "Yeah, okay. Come on in."

Elena's smile grew. Her black booted foot stepped through the doorway.

* * *

Bonnie, Elena, and Damon entered Mystic Falls. They went to Elena's house first so she could change out of her blood and dirt stained clothes before they went to the hospital. Elena grabbed extra vervain and a stake Stefan armed her with when Katherine first showed up.

The hospital was quiet and the three of them went into Jenna's room unnoticed. Jeremy was sleeping in the chair closer to the door than Aunt Jenna's bed. Elena caught a glimpse of a stake under his brown leather jacket.

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Jeremy?"

His brown eyes shot open and lightning fast his hand was inside his jacket yanking the stake out. He had Elena against the wall, the stake aimed at her heart. Damon gripped Jeremy's wrist, keeping the sharp edge of the stake from penetrating Elena's chest.

"Jeremy!" Bonnie cried.

"Easy, sport, it's your sister," Damon said.

Jeremy stared hard at Elena. "Where have you been?" he barked.

"Katherine kidnapped me and Damon. We got here as soon as we could. Is Jenna okay?" Elena asked.

Jeremy finally relaxed and Damon released his wrist. "She lost a lot of blood; they think she fell on something sharp in the kitchen."

"Katherine did this to her?" Elena asked.

Jeremy nodded. "We thought she was you. We were making dinner and then Jenna said something about you and Stefan, and Katherine just attacked her. I couldn't pull her off. Then when she was finished with Jenna, she came after me. If it hadn't been for the ring, I don't think I'd be alive right now. Once Katherine left, I called the ambulance. She lost of a lot of blood."

Damon sighed. "I can give her a shot of blood to help her heal."

"No!" Elena exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Damon, I appreciate the sentiment, but the last time you did that, Katherine killed one of my best friends and she came back as a vampire."

The vampire shrugged, his blue eyes flashing a dangerous look, and he grinned. "Whatever. Stay here; I'm going to go find that boyfriend of yours."

Elena nodded. "Be careful, Damon."

He leaned in close as he walked by her. "Don't worry about me," he breathed. Then he was gone in a blur.

Elena felt a chill as she stared at the empty doorway. She turned her attention back to the situation at hand. She approached Jenna's bed. Her aunt looked pale and a large bandage covered the side of her neck. It was a familiar wound.

"Have you seen Katherine since she attacked Jenna?" Bonnie asked.

Jeremy shook his head. "No, she ran out and haven't seen her since. Mr. Saltzman is around here somewhere too. He's been…patrolling to make sure that Katherine isn't around."

"Jeremy, please tell me that if you see Katherine again, your instinct will not be to try and stake her. That's a good way to get yourself killed," Elena said.

"She tried to kill Jenna and she attacked you. Katherine deserves to die!"

"Believe me, Jer, you don't have convince me of that. I just…I don't want to lose you in the process. We have to be smart about this."

"About what? Are you actually going to do something?"

Elena glanced over at Bonnie. "Yes, but I need you to stay here with Jenna."

Jeremy sighed. "I can help, Elena. I'm not a child."

"Are you going to leave Jenna here alone?"

"Mr. Saltzman can stay here with her," Jeremy replied.

"What can Mr. Saltzman do?" Alaric Saltzman stood in the doorway of the hospital room. He looked cool and calm, but Elena knew better. She could see the tension in his jaw and the worry in his gray eyes. He focused on her.

"It's Elena," Jeremy said.

"Are you sure?" Alaric asked; his eyes didn't waver from Elena.

"It's her." Jeremy slumped back in the chair. "Only Elena would put me on babysitting duty."

"Jeremy, when you can drive, you can start killing vampires," Alaric replied.

Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"Does anyone know where Caroline is?" Elena asked.

No one did.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon," Bonnie said.

"I don't know if Tyler…"

"I can handle Tyler," Jeremy said.

"You two hate each other," Elena replied.

Jeremy sighed. "Just…I can handle this. When is all this going down?"

"I'm not sure, but I think Damon has a plan." Elena's eyes flickered to Bonnie. "Fine. Talk to Tyler in the morning at school."

"You're going to bring a werewolf into this when there are going to be other vampires around that you don't want killed? Is that smart?" Alaric asked.

Elena sighed. "I don't know what the smart thing to do is. Katherine has been ruining my life and the life of those I love. I'm done playing by the rules. Bring on the werewolves, the vampires, the witches, and the humans; whatever it's going to take to bring that bitch down."

Caroline's voice made everyone turn. "I know where to start." She was perched on the edge of Jenna's bed. "That vampire whore is playing house with _my_ boyfriend."


	9. The Truth and Nothing But

Hi again! Sorry for the long time in between posting. I've got a lot going on, but I will try and get more up as soon as possible. Reviews definitely help in that regard! :) Thank you for all of the reivews! Thank you and enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

Damon wondered briefly if Stefan was in his own cave somewhere as he searched their mansion. Leave it to Katherine to use a non-dungeon room as a…well…dungeon.

Stefan was hung up; the stench of vervain filled the air. Stefan was bleeding openly and barely conscious.

"Hello, brother." Damon sauntered inside and lifted Stefan's head.

"Damon?" He was weak; his voice was barely above a whisper. "You're dead."

"Wrong. I'm very much alive…for a dead guy, thanks to that spunky girlfriend of yours tapping a vein."

Stefan's eyes grew red.

"That's right. Get mad. We were stuck together for hours. I don't think she hates me as much as you'd like her to though."

"She's alive?" Stefan growled.

"Yep. And she wants to kill Katherine. I think Elena has had enough."

"Get me down," Stefan grunted, struggling against his binds.

"I'd love to, brother, but I can't. Save your strength. Oh, and don't worry, someone will be along to free you. It just can't be me."

"Damon," Stefan pleaded.

Damon sighed. "Relax, Stefan, this'll all be over soon enough."

"Elena, what is going on with you?" Matt held her back as she tried to kiss him. "What about Stefan?"

Elena's eyes flashed with a dangerous look Matt didn't recognize.

"Stefan, he fell for some other girl. I was stupid to let you go, Matt."

Matt took a step back. "I'm in love with Caroline," he replied, pain and guilt on his face.

"Then why did you break up with her, Matt?"

"Elena, what is wrong with you?"

"Was it because you're really not over me?"

Matt shook his head. "I think you should go." Matt didn't understand what had gotten into her.

"I see the way you look at her…at me," she snapped.

"You broke up with me. I moved on, and you're pissed?"

"I'm just a little fed up with everyone being in love with Elena. Except you. You actually love that twit, Caroline."

Matt took a deep breath. "You're not making any sense."

"I've got news for you, Matthew," Elena spat. "Caroline is a vampire. That animal attack you had wasn't an animal at all, it was Caroline."

Matt's brow furrowed. This wasn't the first time he'd heard the word "vampire."

For the first time, the girl in front of him didn't seem like Elena at all.

"And your sister, Vicki. Poor Vicki. The Salvatore brothers really did a number on her. First they turned her into a vampire and then they killed. And Elena knew about it. And then Damon turned Caroline. Everyone you love is being hurt or killed by the Salvatore brothers."

Matt's mind was working overtime going through the last year and a half. Stefan was constantly appearing right before Vicki disappeared.

"Vampire?" Matt said the word, tasting it for the first time as if it might be something more than fiction.

Elena's mouth curved. "Do you want to find justice for your sister?"

"Who are you?" She definitely wasn't Elena.

"My name is Katherine. I'm sorry I tricked you, but I didn't think you'd believe a stranger."

Matt stood there for a long moment as something flooded his memory; something that hadn't been there before. Or had it?

Caroline's voice filled his head.

_Matt, here's the truth_, she said.

* * *

"Elena," Damon called from the hospital room doorway.

Elena stood from the chair; Jeremy was sleeping. Alaric was gone. Bonnie was resting in another chair her back to the door.

She stood and approached him. "Stefan?"

"He's been tied up and dosed with vervain."

"You left him there?"

"Yes, I need you to go release him. Take the teacher or the witch. Don't go alone," Damon said with earnestly.

"Why didn't you do it? Caroline said Katherine was at Matt's."

Damon smiled maliciously. "She's running out of allies. I need you to do it while I take care of something else. Plus, he's swimming in vervain. Two wounded vampires will not help you, Elena."

Elena eyed him carefully. "Fine. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go see what Katherine is up to."

Elena grabbed his wrist before he could speed away.

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"

Damon considered her for a moment; his piercing blue eyes watching her.

"Can't make any promises."

And then he was gone.

Elena sighed; she turned and found Bonnie watching her. The witch approached her.

"You have feelings for him?" Bonnie asked, disappointment rang through her voice.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her best friend. Then she nodded toward the door. She waited in the hall; Bonnie came out.

Elena met Bonnie's gaze. "When were you planning on telling me your plan to kill Damon?"


End file.
